John K. Jackson
Encyclopedia
John King Jackson was an American
lawyer and soldier. He served as a Confederate
general during the American Civil War
, mainly in Florida and the Western Theater
of the conflict. Afterward Jackson resumed his law practice until dying from pneumonia
a year after the war ended.
. He received his education first at Richmond Academy in his home state, and later at the University of South Carolina
in Columbia
, where he graduated "with honors" in 1846. Jackson then began to study law and was admitted to his state's bar association
in 1848, practicing in Augusta until 1861.
In 1849, Jackson married a woman from Columbia County
named Virginia L. Hardwick. The couple would have three sons together, named Thomas M., William E., and Hardwick. He also was active as an officer in the Georgia State
Militia
, elected a lieutenant
and later a captain. By 1861 was serving as a lieutenand colonel
, in command of an Augusta infantry
battalion
.
. In April he entered the Confederate Army as lieutenant colonel
of the 5th Georgia Infantry Regiment
, and in May was elected its commander and colonel
. Jackson's regiment was ordered to Pensacola, Florida
, where he also commanded the post at Pensacola that May and June.
Jackson was in command of one of the three battalions which fought in the Confederate defeat during the Battle of Santa Rosa Island
on October 8, 1861. Jackson and his regiment would remain n Florida for the rest of 1861. On January 14, 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general, assigned command of a brigade
in the Army of Pensacola a week later. In February Jackson was sent to Grand Junction, Tennessee
, where he was to organize the Confederate soldiers sent there into brigades on their way to Corinth, Mississippi
. Beginning on March 29, he commanded a brigade in the recently created Army of Mississippi
, and led it with distinction during the Battle of Shiloh
on April 6–7. During the late evening attack by Maj. Gen. Braxton Bragg
on April 6, Jackson's men and another brigade charged a strong Union
position upon a ridge. Despite being very low on ammunition, the force made "a brave bayonet
attack" which was ultimately unsuccessful.
During the Kentucky Campaign
of 1862, Jackson and his brigade were ordered from Knoxville
to Bridgeport, Alabama
, where they were to guard Confederate communications along the railways bridges from Chattanooga
to Murfreesboro
. Jackson next saw combat during the Stones River Campaign of late 1862. On December 25 Bragg, by now the army's commander, ordered Jackson to leave the bare minimum of his command to protect the rail bridges and join the main force gathering at Murfreesboro. Sent to Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk
for orders, Jackson and his men participated in the Battle of Stones River
from December 31 to January 2, 1863. An account of Jackson's participation follows:
Following the fight at Stones River, Jackson and his men were sent back to Bridgeport and then again to Chattanooga, ordered to defend railroad communications from Atlanta to Tullahoma
. From February 23 to July 25 he commanded the District of Tennessee of the Confederate Department No. 2, when his brigade was added to Lt. Gen. D.H. Hill
's corps of the Army of Tennessee
. He fought with distinction during the Battle of Chickamauga
on September 19–20, 1863, where one of his regiments, the 5th Georgia, "lost sixty-one per cent in that battle, the second heaviest loss of all the regiments engaged." Three days after Chickamauga, Jackson's command was transferred to Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Cheatham
's division in the Army of Tennessee. He participated in the Chattanooga Campaign
that October and November, most notably in the Battle of Missionary Ridge
, where his brigade and that of Brig Gen. John C. Moore
greatly slowed the Union breakthrough on November 25.
While the Army of Tennessee fell back to Dalton, Georgia
, Jackson and his brigade were transferred to Maj. Gen. William H. T. Walker
's division on February 20, 1864. He participated in the Atlanta Campaign
until July 3, when he was separated from the Army of Tennessee. Jackson and two of his regiments (5th & 47th Georgia) were ordered to Charleston, South Carolina
, to report to Maj. Gen. Samuel Jones. There Jones gave him orders to proceed to Lake City, Florida
, and relieve Brig. Gen. James P. Anderson
, in charge of the District of Florida in the Confederate Department of South Carolina, Georgia, & Florida. Jackson would command at Florida from August 30 to September 29, 1864.
During Sherman's March to the Sea
in late 1864, Jackson and his command were then sent to Savannah, Georgia
, and participated in the siege of Savannah. He was given command of the center line in the Confederate defenses, which were evacuated when the city was abandoned that December. Following the actions at Savannah, Jackson was sent to Branchville, South Carolina
, where he was to establish military depots as the quartermaster of the Army of Tennessee. He then went to Cheraw
, next to Goldsboro, North Carolina
, and finally his home town of Augusta, all for the same purpose. Jackson was in this role when Gen. Joseph E. Johnston
surrendered his forces on April 26, 1865, which included the Army of Tennessee. He was paroled from Augusta on May 17 and returned to his civilian life.
on behalf of their stockholders, many of whom were returning Confederate officers. He was on this mission when he was stricken with pneumonia
while in Milledgeville
, located in Baldwin County, Georgia
. Jackson died in early 1866, a few weeks after his 38th birthday, and was buried in Augusta's City Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer and soldier. He served as a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
general during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, mainly in Florida and the Western Theater
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
of the conflict. Afterward Jackson resumed his law practice until dying from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
a year after the war ended.
Early life and career
John King Jackson was born in 1828 in Augusta, GeorgiaAugusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
. He received his education first at Richmond Academy in his home state, and later at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
in Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, where he graduated "with honors" in 1846. Jackson then began to study law and was admitted to his state's bar association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1848, practicing in Augusta until 1861.
In 1849, Jackson married a woman from Columbia County
Columbia County, Georgia
Columbia County is a county located in the US state of Georgia along the Savannah River. As of 2010 the population was 124,054 a growth of 39% from the 2000 census figure of 89,288. The de jure county seat is Appling. Appling is an unincorporated area, making Columbia one of only three counties...
named Virginia L. Hardwick. The couple would have three sons together, named Thomas M., William E., and Hardwick. He also was active as an officer in the Georgia State
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
Militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, elected a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and later a captain. By 1861 was serving as a lieutenand colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
, in command of an Augusta infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
.
Civil War service
When the American Civil War began in 1861, Jackson chose to follow his home state and the Confederate causeConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. In April he entered the Confederate Army as lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
of the 5th Georgia Infantry Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
, and in May was elected its commander and colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. Jackson's regiment was ordered to Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, where he also commanded the post at Pensacola that May and June.
Battle of Santa Rosa Island
The Battle of Santa Rosa Island was an unsuccessful Confederate attempt to take Union-held Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island, Florida.- Background :...
on October 8, 1861. Jackson and his regiment would remain n Florida for the rest of 1861. On January 14, 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general, assigned command of a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
in the Army of Pensacola a week later. In February Jackson was sent to Grand Junction, Tennessee
Grand Junction, Tennessee
Grand Junction is a city in Fayette and Hardeman counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 301 at the 2000 census, and is currently 321. Grand Junction runs along Tennessee State Route 57, and is bordered to the west by Tennessee State Route 18 . Approximately ten miles to the...
, where he was to organize the Confederate soldiers sent there into brigades on their way to Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
. Beginning on March 29, he commanded a brigade in the recently created Army of Mississippi
Army of Mississippi
There were three organizations known as the Army of Mississippi in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. -Army of Mississippi :This army, at times known by the names Army of the West or Army of the...
, and led it with distinction during the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
on April 6–7. During the late evening attack by Maj. Gen. Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
on April 6, Jackson's men and another brigade charged a strong Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
position upon a ridge. Despite being very low on ammunition, the force made "a brave bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
attack" which was ultimately unsuccessful.
During the Kentucky Campaign
Confederate Heartland Offensive
The Confederate Heartland Offensive or Kentucky Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in East Tennessee and Kentucky in 1862 during the American Civil War...
of 1862, Jackson and his brigade were ordered from Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
to Bridgeport, Alabama
Bridgeport, Alabama
Bridgeport is a small city in Jackson County, Alabama, United States. At the time of 2000 census the population was 2,728. Bridgeport is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area.-History:...
, where they were to guard Confederate communications along the railways bridges from Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
to Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
. Jackson next saw combat during the Stones River Campaign of late 1862. On December 25 Bragg, by now the army's commander, ordered Jackson to leave the bare minimum of his command to protect the rail bridges and join the main force gathering at Murfreesboro. Sent to Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk
Leonidas Polk
Leonidas Polk was a Confederate general in the American Civil War who was once a planter in Maury County, Tennessee, and a second cousin of President James K. Polk...
for orders, Jackson and his men participated in the Battle of Stones River
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro , was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War...
from December 31 to January 2, 1863. An account of Jackson's participation follows:
Tullahoma, Tennessee
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 18,655 people, 7,717 households, and 5,161 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 88.1% White, 7.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races...
. From February 23 to July 25 he commanded the District of Tennessee of the Confederate Department No. 2, when his brigade was added to Lt. Gen. D.H. Hill
Daniel Harvey Hill
On July 22, 1862, Hill and Union Maj. Gen. John A. Dix concluded an agreement for the general exchange of prisoners between the Union and Confederate armies. This agreement became known as the Dix-Hill Cartel....
's corps of the Army of Tennessee
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
. He fought with distinction during the Battle of Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
on September 19–20, 1863, where one of his regiments, the 5th Georgia, "lost sixty-one per cent in that battle, the second heaviest loss of all the regiments engaged." Three days after Chickamauga, Jackson's command was transferred to Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Cheatham
Benjamin F. Cheatham
Benjamin Franklin Cheatham , known also as Frank, was a Tennessee aristocrat, California gold miner, and a General in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, serving in many battles of the Western Theater.-Early years:Cheatham was born in Nashville, Tennessee on a plantation...
's division in the Army of Tennessee. He participated in the Chattanooga Campaign
Chattanooga Campaign
The Chattanooga Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in October and November 1863, during the American Civil War. Following the defeat of Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Union Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamauga in September, the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen...
that October and November, most notably in the Battle of Missionary Ridge
Battle of Missionary Ridge
The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Missionary Ridge and defeated the...
, where his brigade and that of Brig Gen. John C. Moore
John Creed Moore
John Creed Moore was an United States Army officer and a graduate of West Point. He is known for being a Confederate brigadier general during the Civil War and his works in the educational system in Texas....
greatly slowed the Union breakthrough on November 25.
While the Army of Tennessee fell back to Dalton, Georgia
Dalton, Georgia
Dalton is a city in Whitfield County, Georgia, United States. It is the county seat of Whitfield County and the principal city of the Dalton, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of both Murray and Whitfield counties. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,128...
, Jackson and his brigade were transferred to Maj. Gen. William H. T. Walker
William H. T. Walker
William Henry Talbot Walker was an American soldier. He was a career United States Army officer who fought with distinction during the Mexican-American War, and also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War...
's division on February 20, 1864. He participated in the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
until July 3, when he was separated from the Army of Tennessee. Jackson and two of his regiments (5th & 47th Georgia) were ordered to Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, to report to Maj. Gen. Samuel Jones. There Jones gave him orders to proceed to Lake City, Florida
Lake City, Florida
Lake City is the county seat of Columbia County, Florida, in the United States. In 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 12,614. In addition, it is the Principal City of the Lake City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is composed of Columbia County, and had an...
, and relieve Brig. Gen. James P. Anderson
James Patton Anderson
James Patton Anderson was an American physician, lawyer, and politician, most notably serving as a United States Congressman from the Washington Territory, a Mississippi state legislator, and a delegate at the Florida state secession convention to withdraw from the United States.He also served in...
, in charge of the District of Florida in the Confederate Department of South Carolina, Georgia, & Florida. Jackson would command at Florida from August 30 to September 29, 1864.
During Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
in late 1864, Jackson and his command were then sent to Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, and participated in the siege of Savannah. He was given command of the center line in the Confederate defenses, which were evacuated when the city was abandoned that December. Following the actions at Savannah, Jackson was sent to Branchville, South Carolina
Branchville, South Carolina
Branchville is a town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,083 at the 2000 census.When the train depot was in use, three presidents stopped by the depot: William H...
, where he was to establish military depots as the quartermaster of the Army of Tennessee. He then went to Cheraw
Cheraw, South Carolina
Cheraw is a town on the Pee Dee River in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,524 at the 2000 census and center of an urban cluster with a total population of 9,069. It has been nicknamed "The Prettiest Town in Dixie." The harbor tub USS Cheraw was named in the...
, next to Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 37,597 at the 2008 census estimate. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The nearby town of Waynesboro was founded in 1787 and Goldsboro was...
, and finally his home town of Augusta, all for the same purpose. Jackson was in this role when Gen. Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
surrendered his forces on April 26, 1865, which included the Army of Tennessee. He was paroled from Augusta on May 17 and returned to his civilian life.
Postbellum career and death
After the American Civil War ended in 1865, Jackson resumed his career as a lawyer in Augusta, Georgia. Several of the state's banks hired Jackson to obtain financial relief from the Georgia General AssemblyGeorgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
on behalf of their stockholders, many of whom were returning Confederate officers. He was on this mission when he was stricken with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
while in Milledgeville
Milledgeville, Georgia
Milledgeville is a city in and the county seat of Baldwin County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is northeast of Macon, located just before Eatonton on the way to Athens along U.S. Highway 441, and it is located on the Oconee River. The relatively rapid current of the Oconee here made this an...
, located in Baldwin County, Georgia
Baldwin County, Georgia
Baldwin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2010, the population was 46,337. The county seat is Milledgeville.Baldwin County is part of the Milledgeville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes neighboring Hancock County....
. Jackson died in early 1866, a few weeks after his 38th birthday, and was buried in Augusta's City Cemetery.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
External links
- civilwarreference.com Civil War Reference site entry for Jackson.
- civilwarhome.com Jackson's official report from the Battle of Chattanooga.